Novatac 85 T Runtime 60+ minutes on max.

[Energie]

I´ve made a runtime test with the Novatac 85T and AWs protected RCR 123 (750 mA).
After a battery-detect-reset the light worked 62 minutes on max. with optimal regulation
(temperature 37 C) and then changed to a lower level.
At this point the battery had 3,07 V (very low, IMO).
Is this ok?
I thought, the runtime of the 85T and the 120T is the same (approx. 30 min. on max.)
Can anybody confirm this?

Edit:
2nd test with a lux-meter ---> same results (see #12)

 

[kelmo]

Re: Novatac 85T Runtime

Thanks er Danka!

Do you have any run data on a primary cell?

kelmo

 

[Oddjob]

Re: Novatac 85T Runtime

Are you 100% certain you did not miss a step down? I am only asking because I have seen HDS runtime tests in the past where people have missed it. After all it is hard to watch the light for 30 minutes to an hour. If your runtimes are true you are lucky to have gotten an exceptionally efficient emitter. :thumbsup:

 

[:)>]

Re: Novatac 85T Runtime

I don't want to gloat, but...

I told you so

I figured that the difference between the 85 and the 120 was 1 more level. If this holds up, I will have not choice but to only buy 85's from this point forward

 

[TITAN1833]

Re: Novatac 85T Runtime

I don't want to gloat, but...

I told you so

I figured that the difference between the 85 and the 120 was 1 more level. If this holds up, I will have not choice but to only buy 85's from this point forward

hi i dont mean to be rude.but everyone knows its only one level i.e 35 lumens more on max.did i miss something .if so how many more levels were there on the 120.

 

[:)>]

Re: Novatac 85T Runtime

hi i dont mean to be rude.but everyone knows its only one level i.e 35 lumens more on max.did i miss something .if so how many more levels were there on the 120.

I was musing in another thread that the runtime for the 85 lumen models and the 120 lumen models would be the same at 85 lumens. I have read that some have said that there is a difference between the LED's for the 85 lumen model and the 120 lumen model. I cannot be sure, but I suspect that the LED's are the same in both the 85 lumen model and the 120 lumen model.

If this is true, then the only thing gained by the 120 lumen models is the increased output at the expense of runtime.

In the old HDS models, the LED's were matched to the driver and some could run for longer because they were more efficient. I suspect that this is no longer the case and the runtime that Energie got off of his rechargeable seems to confirm this.

 

[thermal guy]

Re: Novatac 85T Runtime

If it is true that the 85 model has a run time that long then i would of though that novatac would of stated that. it's a real good sell point!

 

[LA OZ]

Re: Novatac 85T Runtime

This is my observation after running the light down on various rechargeable with my 85P:

1. I have missed the flash signal indicating step down brightness on the first battery. The 50% drop in brightness is difficult to observe as it only give one flash and continued on with 50% brightness.
2. I got about 20-30min on high depend on which rechargeable CR123 I am using.
3. I felt the 85P is very conservative as it could easily blazing along at Max longer as it was able to run at 50% Max for another 40min before the next drop.

 

[thermal guy]

Re: Novatac 85T Runtime

40+30= 70 i think ppl are missing the step down

 

[Optic Nerve]

Re: Novatac 85T Runtime

on my 85p, I got 1hr 15 min before I noticed the first step down on a protected rechargeable c123a that I got from light hound for $1.99.
I could not believe it myself.

 

[LA OZ]

Re: Novatac 85T Runtime

Optic Nerve, I thought the same initially as I was wondering around with the torch. However, I repeated the test with the same battery fully charged and this time tail stand on the side of me while surfing the net. I have noticed one flicker indicating the step down after 25minutes and not one hour that I initially thought. Mind you, dropping down from full bright to 50% is difficult to tell without the flicker indication.

 

[Energie]

Re: Novatac 85T Runtime

I´ve made a second test with a RCR123 (AWs 750 mA protected).
And I´ve controlled the brightness levels with a lux-meter.

The results:
68 minutes on nearly 100 % (start 100 %, end 99%).
Then one minute on 55 %, one minute on 14 % and then off (battery 3,08 V).

Maybe the difference between the 85 and the 120 Version is an additional
brightness level (more lux, less runtime) and not a more efficient emitter.

The head temperature of the 85T is max. 37 C (after 10 minutes).
Does somebody know the head temperature of the 120 on max. ?

 

[LA OZ]

Re: Novatac 85T Runtime

I have tried tonight another set of different RCR123 and this time it is the LC 16340. I was surprise that it ran for 55min max and from there it dropped rapidly within a minute apart. It is very unusual as different RCR123s shows different behaviour.

I am glad that I choose the 85P as I thought it would run longer.

 

[Nake]

Wouldn't running a Novatac 120 at 85 lumens get the same runtime?

 

[TITAN1833]

Wouldn't running a Novatac 120 at 85 lumens get the same runtime?

somewhere i heard you get more.:thinking:

 

[GarageBoy]

I think it's a different bin LED, otherwise, why the price difference?

 

[sbebenelli]

I think it's a different bin LED, otherwise, why the price difference?

Because it's brighter and people will pay more for it. I doubt it costs Novatac anymore to make the 120.

 

[Energie]

If it's a different bin LED then the head of the 120 on max (120 lm) should have the same temperature
as the 85 head on max (85 lm).
Or: Higher temperature = higher current = less runtime

 

[Oddjob]

Wouldn't running a Novatac 120 at 85 lumens get the same runtime?

If the emmitters were the same, then yes. The thing is the user guide says the runtimes on max for both the 120 and the 85 is 30 minutes suggesting that the 120's have a slightly more efficient emitter than the 85p. So since some of the 85p's mentioned in this thread are running over an hour on max, it leads people to believe that it is the same emitter as in the 120p. If you were able to run the afformentioned 60 min runtime 85p's at 120 lumens you would get 30 minutes of runtime.

 

[Frank Maddix]

I´ve made a runtime test with the Novatac 85T and AWs protected RCR 123 (750 mA).
After a battery-detect-reset the light worked 62 minutes on max. with optimal regulation
(temperature 37 C) and then changed to a lower level.
At this point the battery had 3,07 V (very low, IMO).
Is this ok?
I thought, the runtime of the 85T and the 120T is the same (approx. 30 min. on max.)
Can anybody confirm this?

That's nice, but without a meter you have to be careful. For example, with a fully charged 3.0V RCR123, my 120P stepped down almost immediately and then continued at Max-1 for about 45 mins. I understand that this is because the regulator in the battery restricts the max current. Anyway, as the light looks after unprotected cells, why use anything else?